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The NBA has the best basketball players in the world. Top players from all over the world strive hard and compete to get in the NBA. Playing in the NBA requires a high level of mental and physical fitness. The players have to be at their peak to be competitive.
Despite this, we have seen throughout history that a lot of players have suffered serious medical ailments and have still continued their NBA career.
Let's have a look at some of the NBA players who suffered serious medical ailments during their career:
#5 Nene
Nene is a Brazilian basketball player who plays in the NBA. He was drafted as the seventh overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft by the New York Knicks and was later traded to the Denver Nuggets.
He played in Denver for 10 years but his career there was surrounded with injuries. He missed several games and months of action due to a torn ligament.
But there was another ailment that was much more concerning for Nene. He was suffering from testicular cancer and in 2008, Nene had to take an indefinite leave from basketball to get his testicular tumor removed.
Nene was traded to the Wizards in 2012 and played in Washington for four years. He was an important player for the Wizards and started many matches for them.
Last season, he played for the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have been looking to contend for the Western Conference crown in recent years and Nene is an important backup big man for them. He comes off the bench for the Rockets and adds energy and hustle to the team.
Nene has averaged 11.3 points per game on 55% shooting from the field for his career so far.
#4 Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox was selected as the number eight pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. He played power forward and center positions. He averaged 8.2 points and 5 rebounds per game for his career.
After playing for the Clippers for four years, Wilcox was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. He also played for the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons before ending his career with the Boston Celtics.
In 2012, the Doctors diagnosed Wilcox with a heart irregularity and deemed him unfit to play in the NBA. He was later on cleared to play and was re-signed by the Boston Celtics. He last played in the 2012-13 NBA season. He was on a decline and only averaged 4 points per game for the Celtics. The Celtics made the playoffs that year but Wilcox found it tough to get playing minutes and only averaged 3 minutes per match in the playoffs.
#3 Steve Nash
Steve Nash is one of the most revolutionary point guards in NBA history. He was selected as the number 15 overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the 1996 NBA Draft.
Nash enjoyed a stellar NBA career with the Suns. He couldn't win a championship but won two regular-season MVPs and directed a very high tempo offense for the Suns. His efficiency was always off the charts. Nash finished multiple seasons with 50-40-90 splits (shooting 50% from the field, 40% from the 3PT line and 90% from the FT line).
Nash joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012 to combine forces with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. But his time in LA was filled with injuries. He suffered from a medical condition called spondylolisthesis which caused him muscle tightness and back pain. He missed too many games with the Lakers and finally decided to retire in 2015.
#2 Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning was selected as the second overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Shaquille O'Neal.
He was later traded to the Miami Heat in 1995 and played most of his career with this franchise. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award twice with the Heat in 1999 and 2000. He also made it to the All-NBA First Team in 1999.
Mourning suffered from a life-threatening kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. He underwent a kidney transplant and went on to play several more years in the league. In 2006, Alonzo Mourning won his first NBA championship with the Miami Heat. He was mostly a backup center behind Shaquille O' Neal but still provided valuable contribution to the team. He finally retired from the NBA in 2009.
#1 Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson was drafted as the number one overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1979 NBA Draft.
Magic Johnson became one of the greatest players to ever play in the game. He was a 6'9'' point guard capable of playing at all five positions. He won the Finals MVP in his rookie season playing at the center position.
He played 13 seasons in the NBA and got selected to 12 All-Star games. He also made it to the All-NBA first and second teams on 10 occasions. Johnson won five rings with the Lakers and was instrumental to their success every time.
In 1991, he was diagnosed with HIV and announced his immediate retirement from basketball. He later came back from retirement and played one more year for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1995-96 season. He averaged an NBA record 11.2 assists per game for his career.
